Wednesday, June 13, 2018

Philippines eyes buying submarines amid row in South China Sea

Philippine Navy band members play music to welcome the Russian Navy vessel Admiral Tributs, a large anti-submarine ship, as it docks at the south harbor port area in Metro Manila, Philippines, Jan 3, 2017. Pic: Reuters

THE Philippines is set to acquire its first batch of submarines to modernise the defense capabilities of the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ (AFP) modernisation program amid heightened tensions with China over the South China Sea.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said on Monday that the country was looking at South Korea, Russia, and other countries to source the submarines.

Lorenzana said neighbouring nations such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Vietnam had submarines and the Philippines required its own to secure its territories. “We are the only ones that does not have it,” he said.

The Philippines, he said, had recently acquired landing dock vessels for the Philippine Navy such as the BRP Tarlac (LD-601) and BRP Davao del Sur (LD-602) and three frigates, while the Air Force acquired 12 FA-50 fighter jets.

The purchase of the submarines is part of the modernisation programme which include new navy ships, helicopters, planes and equipment for the army.

On Monday, The Philippines also asked Beijing to stop the Chinese coast guard from taking the catch of Filipino fishermen in the disputed Scarborough Shoal, describing such actions as unacceptable.

Local broadcaster GMA News last week aired a report that said Chinese coast guard patrols had made a habit of taking the best catches from fishermen in the area.

Members of the Naval Special Operations Group jump off from a helicopter as part of their capability demonstration during the Philippine Navy’s 120th anniversary in Metro Manila, Philippines May 22, 2018. Source: ReutersThe report included cellphone video reportedly taken by a Filipino fisherman in May that appeared to show two Chinese coast guard personnel boarding his boat and taking some of his catch. Reuters was not able to independently verify the report from GMA.

“We have addressed this issue with the Chinese and we are demanding that the Chinese take steps to stop the Coast Guard from doing these acts,” Harry Roque, a spokesman for President Rodrigo Duterte, told a media briefing.

He said China should discipline its coast guard and that such actions were unacceptable, although he added he did not think they amounted to “harassment”.

In response, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said on Monday the coast guard “consistently operated in accordance with the law” and that it was carrying out a “conscientious investigation” into whether the incidents described in the media reports had taken place.

Geng said at a press conference that the coast guard existed to keep peace and order and had in the past provided humanitarian assistance to Philippine fishermen.

China seized the Scarborough Shoal in 2012 and forced fishermen from the Philippines to travel further for smaller catches, reflecting tensions in the South China Sea where several countries have overlapping claims.

But relations between China and the Philippines have improved markedly under Duterte, who is negotiating billions of dollars worth of loans, investments and trade deals with China.